Manna Food Project working to get fresh food to those in need

But, the Manna Food Project -- a regional food bank based in Harbor Springs -- is using community resources to rethink the whole notion of food donations.

For the past several years, Manna has been taking in more and more fresh meat, fruit and vegetables with the help of a large donations from area churches and farmers, as well as a staff who knows how to quickly get food out to local food pantries.

"You can get canned green beans, but when you get them from a farm it changes the whole thing," said Dale Lewis, a volunteer at Manna and member of the Petoskey United Methodist Church.

For the past five years, the church has been one of the major donors to the food bank. In 2012, the church donated more than 3,000 pounds and has already surpassed that number for 2013.

Picking at least twice each week, crews at the United Methodist Church tend to the church garden located on East Mitchell Road. The harvesters range from between a couple people to a dozen volunteers, said 57th Circuit Court Judge Charles Johnson, who started the garden with the church after a probation officer suggested it as a way for people in the Emmet County court system to work off community service.

"We have a lot of people that can attest to this: It is so good to get out of your box and help for whatever reason," said Gabrielle Billion, Manna Food Project administrative assistant. "You feel very gratified to be doing something for the community."

Other major donors are driving the effort in Northwest Michigan. Bill's Farm Market, located on Mitchell Road in Petoskey, donated 32,000 pounds of produce last year. The farm donated so much squash, Manna shipped several tons to Feeding America, the nation's largest food charity, for mobile food banks, which was critical last summer because of the drought.

"(Bill McMaster) truly is a 'from the heart' gentleman," Billion said, describing the Bill's Farm Market owner and his giving.

Other major farm donors in the area include Johnecheck Farms on Camp Daggett Road in Boyne City, Pond Hill Farms in Harbor Springs and Coveyou Scenic Farms in Petoskey.

Billion says dozens of smaller family donors also help. Those donations often come in by the individual bag.

"We've gotten calls in the fall from apple orchards asking: 'Do you have anybody who can come out and pick?' And we have done that," Billion said. "Then you get a mom and her kids who have a little extra from their organic garden patch. Everything that comes in the door goes out the door ... It's a huge pride for me."

Keeping all the produce means the staff has to work quickly, and there is always a need for more volunteers to get the food out to hungry families -- even if it means simply someone with a driver's license to drive a truck.

Pallets of squash, apples and pears from Bill's Farm Market and strawberries from Walmart wait in a cooler to be sent out this week. Items often come from local big box stores such as Walmart and Meijer that are just beyond the company expiration date. While the staff is looking over the current vegetables, another call comes in for a corn donation to be picked up.

"It can be a fast moving week," said Dan Cole, a Manna staffer who oversees logistics. "We have a lot of produce. Once we get produce in and have checked it, we have not thrown away any produce, and I've been here three years."

Cole and Jeff Austin, another Manna staff member who works with the fresh food, says the speed of the process depends on volunteers and help from the public.

People interested in making food donations or volunteering can call the Manna Food Project, located at 8791 McBride Park Drive, Harbor Springs, at (231) 347-8852.